ATHENS – An essentially suspended 2016 swap deal with the European Union requires that Turkey take back 1,450 migrants being held in detention centers after their asylum applications were rejected.

Migration minister Notis Mitarachis said that's part of the agreement that worked to slow the flow of refugees and migrants Turkey let human traffickers keep sending to Greece islands after they had gone to Turkey in hopes of reaching the European Union.

After the EU closed its borders to them, Greece was left holding about 100,000, including more than 30,000 on islands, most wanting asylum after the path out of the country was blocked to them.

Mitarchis spoke as as hundreds of anti-racism campaigners demonstrated in Athens, with many calling for refugees to be allowed to stay in Greece. He told Agence France-Presse that that Turkey must demonstrate its "willingness to cooperate" with the EU which paid Turkey to contain refugees and migrants.